Pacific

Young democracies, rich natural endowments, frequent natural disasters and relatively small populations characterise many Pacific Island nations, making them vulnerable to particular corruption risks. Yet data about levels and patterns of corruption in the region has remained frustratingly scarce.

The Global Corruption Barometer – Pacific 2021 records for the first time the perceptions and experiences of corruption among ordinary citizens from ten Pacific countries and territories. The results reveal high levels of bribery, sextortion and vote-buying.

A majority of respondents feel corruption is a big problem in both the business sector and government, particularly among parliamentarians and officials in heads of government’s offices.

It also appears that authorities are failing to properly control resource extraction companies.

But change is possible. Most Pacific Islanders we spoke to support their government’s anti-corruption measures and believe that ordinary people can help stop corruption.

Pacific leaders across the ten countries have indicated that they are willing to tackle this problem, through public commitments and national reform efforts. By listening to the voices of Pacific Islanders themselves about their corruption concerns, governments can make meaningful reforms and ultimately create a fairer and more sustainable region.

We surveyed 6,000+ adults of diverse age groups and backgrounds. The participants were randomly selected, and quotas were used to ensure that different parts of each country or territory were represented. Respondents were almost equally split between women (49 per cent) and men (51 per cent). The survey questionnaire was translated into ten national languages.